Means for replacing supporting cores of packages of yarn

ABSTRACT

APPARATUS FOR REPLACING A SUPPORTING CORE OF A CORESUPPORTED WOUND PACKAGE OF YARN WITH A LONGITUDINALLY COMPRESSIBLE REPLACEMENT CORE, IN ORDER TO PREPARE THE PACKAGE OF YARN FOR SUBSEQUENT TREATMENT SUCH AS A DYEING PROCESS OR THE LIKE.

March 9. 197 w. o. YOUNG, JR

MEANS FOR REPLACING SUPPORTING CORES OF PACKAGES OF YARN Filed July 30,1968 5- Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORZ W\ LUAM O. YOUN J2.

ATTORNEYS Marth 1 w. o. YOUNG, JR 3, 3

MEANS FOR REPLACING SUPPORTING CORES OF PACKAGES 0F YARN Filed Juiy so;1968 a Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR.

WILLIAM O, YOUNG IE.

ATTORNEYS March 1971 w. o. YOUNG, JR 3,568,293

MEANS FOR REPLACING SUPPORTING CORES OF PACKAGES OF YARN Filed July 30,1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 g I TIL-E30 216 Y A Q f U W 3 220 1%, W ZFZZ 2,9INVENTOR! 1 lAM QYOUNQJQ.

United States Patent US. Cl. 29-234 Int. Cl. B23p 19/04 12 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for replacing a supporting core ofa coresupported Wound package of yarn with a longitudinally compressiblereplacement core, in order to prepare the package of yarn for subsequenttreatment such as a dyeing process or the like.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser.No. 645,645, filed June 13,1967.

\At a certain stage in some processes for the manufacture of textilegoods, yarn which is subsequently to be formed into the goods byknitting, weaving or the like is wound into packages about supportingcores and thereafter heat treated with steam or by the circulation of ahot liquid through the packages to dye or otherwise treat the yarn. 'Inmany such fluid treatment processes involving wound packages of yarn, itis preferred that the supporting core for the package during thetreatment process be a perforate core, in order that fluid may flowradially of the wound package and treat the yarn uniformly throughoutthe package, and additionally be a longitudinally compressible core, inorder that the yarn package may be compressed to occupy a smaller volumeduring the treatment. These two requirements that a treatment core beperforate and be longitudinally compressible have heretofore presenteddifiiculties which have had unfavorable effects on the operations ofyarn processors.

More particularly, it has heretofore been proposed that a yarn processormay avoid both the necessity of supplying a large number of relativelyexpensive treatment cores and the alternative necessity of processingyarn through an additional and otherwise unnecessary winding operationby the use of an apparatus and method for expelling a conventionalinexpensive winding core made of rigid paper tube at the same time thata treatment core is pressed into a core supported package of yarn.However, such insertion of a replacement core and expulsion of a windingcore has been most readily obtained when the replacement core islongitudinally rigid, and may be used as a force transmitting member topush the winding core from the package.

With the foregoing particularly in mind, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an apparatus which avoids the deficienciesheretofore present in textile operations wherein wound packages of yarnare prepared for subsequent treatment such as dyeing by the replacementof a winding core with a longitudinally compressible treatment core. Inrealizing this object of the present invention, apparatus is providedfor readily expelling a winding core from within a radially compressivewound package of yarn and for protecting a longitudinally compressiblereplacement core from gripping engagement by the package during theinsertion thereof into the package. Through the employment of anapparatus as disclosed and claimed herein, a textile yarn processingoperation may avoid both the necessity of providing an excessively largenumber of longitudinally compressible replacement cores and thenecessity of introducing a winding process merely to transfer yarn fromone core to another. Thus, substantial economies are realized throughthe present invention.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first type of apparatus incorporating theimprovement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, takengenerally along the line 22 in that figure;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged view generally similar to FIG. 2,illustrating somewhat schematically one stage in the replacement of apackage core by operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 3 illustrating further stagesin the replacement of a package core by operation of the apparatus ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view, in partial section, through a portionof the apparatus of FIGS. 3 through 6, taken generally along the line 77in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view of a second type of apparatus incorporatingthe improvement of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged somewhat schematic elevation 'view of portions ofthe apparatus of FIG. 8, illustrating one stage in the replacement of apackage core by operation of that apparatus;

FIGS. 10 and 12 are views similar to FIG. 9 illustrating further stagesin the replacement of a package core by operation of the apparatus ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged elevation view, in partial section, of a portionof the apparatus of FIG. 10, taken generally along the line 1 111 inthat figure;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 11, taken generally along the line13a13 in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a plan view, in partial section, through the apparatus ofFIG. 13, taken generally along line 1414 in that figure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the improvement of thepresent invention is there disclosed in conjunction with an apparatusincluding sequentially actuated operating instrumentalities as disclosedin the aforementioned patent application Ser. No. 645,645, filed June13, 1967, and in a form suitable for semi-automatic or hand use. Thisdiscussion will proceed first with reference to the sequentiallyactuated apparatus, and attention is directed to the aforementionedcopending patent application for a full and detailed disclosure ofcertain control functions and operations by which sequential advancementof wound packages of yarn to and beyond a core replacement station iscoordinated with reciprocal movement of a mandrel between a positionremote from the common path of the yarn packages past the corereplacement station and a position at which the mandrel intersects thecommon path of package travel.

SEQUENTIALLY ACT UATED APPARATUS OPERATING INSTRUMENTALITIES In order toprovide for receiving a plurality of packages of yarn and for moving thepackages along a predetermined common path of travel and past a corereplacement station, the sequentially actuated apparatus according tothe present invention provides means including upper and lower packagetroughs and a rotatably supported package advancing means. The packagetroughs include an upper package trough 50, supported on and movablewith a movable frame including members 37 and 38, and a lower packagetrough 51, supported on a stationary frame including members 21-23 and28-31.

Means are provided for defining a pocket at the lower end of the trough50, and the width of the floor 54 of the trough 50 and the verticalextent of the sidewalls 55 and 56 thereof are such that packages P ofyarn are received in the upper trough 50 in a predetermined commonorientation, with the supporting cores thereof, hereinafter referred toas winding cores W, in a horizontal disposition, and are advanced bygravity along a predetermined common path of travel to a dispensingposition in the pocket. When a package P reaches the dispensing locationat the pocket, it is in position to be received by a package advancingmeans and to be advanced thereby in continued movement along thepredetermined path.

In order to controllably advance individual packages from the packagedispensing location at the extremity of the upper trough 50 along thecommon path of travel and past a core replacement station, thisinvention pro vides package advancing means including a rotatable member60, formed, supported and driven in rotation all as described in theaforementioned copending application. Further, rotation of the member 60is controlled in such a manner as to positively locate a packageadvanced thereby in a predetermined alignment at a core replacementstation, for facilitating the replacement of a supporting core such asthe winding core W as hereinafter described.

The importance of the positive location of a package P at a corereplacement station, as for example by controlling the rotation of therotatable member 60, is clear in view of the provision of a corereplacing means functioning to expel a winding core W from within apackage P while inserting a replacement core R thereinto. In accordancewith the present invention, the core replacing means includes anelongate hollow mandrel 95 (FIG.-

2) mounted on one terminal extremity of a piston rod- 96 of a corereplacement cylinder 97 and supported for movement along a predeterminedpath transverse to the common path of travel to the packages P. Thepredetermined path of travel for the mandrel member 95 extends betweentwo extreme positions, one of whichis remote from the core replacementstation at the intersection of the mandrel path with the common path oftravel of the packages P (FIG. 2) and the other of which positions themandrel member 95 penetrating a package P (FIG. 5) at the corereplacement station. Movement of the mandrel member 95 between the twoextreme positions results from the application of fluid pressure to thecore replacing cylinder 97, which is supported on the stationary framewith the mandrel member 95 aligned for intersection of the package pathas described above.

In order to obtain the expulsion of a winding core W and the insertionof a replacement core R as described hereinafter, it is important thatthe hollow mandrel 95 have certain dimensional relationships to thepackage P and the cores W and R. In particular, the mandrel 95 must havea longitudinal dimension at least sufficient to penetrate entirelythrough a package P when the package is in a longitudinally compressedcondition (FIG. 5). The diametrical dimensions and wall thickness of themandrel 95 must be such that the external diameter of the mandrel issubstantially equal to and not substantially greater than that of thewinding core W to be expelled and that the internal diameter of themandrel is greater than the external diameter of the'replacement core Rto be inserted. These diametrical relationships are necessary in orderthat the hollow mandrel may encircle and shield a replacement core whileengaging a winding core and expelling it from a package duringpenetration of the mandrel into the package to serve as an intermediatesupporting core during the core replacement action, as brought out byfurther discussion hereinafter.

In movement of the mandrel 95 from the position remote from the corereplacement station along the predetermined path of mandrel traveltoward "the position intersecting the paths of package travel, an open,package penetrating end of the mandrel first engages a replacement coreR, and the mandrel receives the core into a cylindrical volume definedtherewithin '(FIG. 3). The present improvement contemplates that thereplacement core R is a longitudinally compressible core made, forexample only, of stainless steel wire wound into a spring form such asthat disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,614,- 764 to Annicq. With such alongitudinally compressible core, the dimensional relationships of themandrel as described above are such that the mandrel encloses thereplacement core R and the leading end of the mandrel engages thetrailing end of the winding core W to push the winding core from thepackage as the mandrel is displaced from the remote position towardtheintersecting position. On enclosure of the replacement core R within themandrel 95, the interior end of the core engages an abutment member 103disposed within the mandrel at a predetermined distance from the openleading end thereof which is less than the normal free length of thecore. Thereafter, as the leading end engages the winding core W, thereplacement core R is compressed until it is entirely shielded by themandrel (FIG. 4)

In order to provide for longitudinal compression of the an alignmentmember 96a, at least partially enclosed by the mandrel 95 and beingspaced therefrom. The externaldiarneter of the alignment member 96a isrelated to the internal diameter of the replacement core R in such amanner that a replacement core is received in the annular space betweenthe mandrel and the alignment memher with a very slight frictionalsnugness for reasons pointed out more fully hereinafter.

In order to assure accommodation of a limited range of sizes for thepackage P the alignment member 96a includes, at the forward extremitythereof, a tapered portion 99 faced with low friction material which, onentrance into a winding core W, raises the package P undergoing corereplacement a predetermined distance, such as one inch, from the pocketof the rotatable member 60. Upon advancement of the mandrel 95 so thatthe tapered portion 99 of the alignment member penetrates a replacementcore R and the replacement core is received within the annular volumebetween the alignment member 96a and the mandrel 95, the tapered portion99 then enters the winding core W of the package and the package isdisplaced laterally into engagement with a fixed side plate 100, whichmay be faced with low friction material and have secured thereto acentering spring 101. With firm lateral support for the package P,further extension of the mandrel 95 causes the tapered portion 99 tolift the package P onto the main body of the alignment member (FIG..

3), pushes the leading end of the mandrel 95 (also referred to as thepackage penetrating end) into engagement with the winding core W andexpels the winding core W from within the package as the replacementcore- R is inserted thereinto. During the insertion of the replacementcore R into the package, the core is shielded from engagement by thepackage by the mandrel 95 and is compressed longitudinally to apredetermined length less than its normal free length between thetrailing endof the core W being expelled and the abutment member. 103interposed between the mandrel 95 and the alignment.

member 96a (FIG. 4).

In order to break the package P by compressing the same longitudinally,and thereby assure more uniform density of the package, the apparatus isprovided with a movable side plate 105, which is supported by a pair ofspaced bearing rods 106 and 107 which extend through a spaced pair ofsupporting plate members 108 and 109 to be guided thereby in linearmovement and may have a low friction face. The movable side plate 105 isbiased to a normally withdrawn position by a pair of biasing springs 110and 111 encircling the supporting rods 106 and 107 (FIG. 2) and maycarry a second centering spring 112 similar to the spring 101. The holewithin the movable side plate 105 which is penetrated by the mandrel 95and alignment member 96a during core insertion is so sized that the sideplate is engaged by the enlarged shoulder portion 98 of the mandrel 95.Upon such engagement, and with the completion of core expulsion, themovable side plate 105 is forced against the package P to apply acompressive force thereto longitudinally of the replace ment core (FIG.5).

In order to assure proper stripping of the expelled winding core W fromthe alignment member 96a, and thus prepare the package P for furtheradvance along the common path of travel from the core replacing station,this invention provides a plurality of core gripping spring fingers 115mounted on the stationary side plate 100. The fingers 115 are spreadapart by a winding core W upon expulsion thereof, to grip that core withradially inward force. Upon subsequent withdrawal ofthe mandrel 95 fromthe package P, the expelled winding core W is prevented from movementback into the package P by the fingers, and subsequently falls to adischarge chute when pushed from the fingers 115 by the next followingcore. As the core W is expelled from the package, the replacement core Ris released to expand to its normal free length, thus exposing apredetermined short length of the replacement core beyond the leadingend of the mandrel 95 (FIG. 5). On commencement of withdrawal of themandrel 95, the movable side plate 105 returns to its normal position(to the left in FIGS. 3-6), and the package P is drawn against that sideplate by the mandrel. Upon the package P being supported by the sideplate 105, the mandrel 95 is pulled from within the package P and theexposed end portion of the replacement core R is engaged by the yarn ofthe package to strip the replacement core R from within the mandrel asit is withdrawn (FIG. 6). Due to the correlation between the free lengthof the replacement core R and the distance between the internal abutmentmember 103 and the leading end of the mandrel 95, the engagement of theyarn with the exposed end portion of the expanded replacement core Rassures that the replacement core is centered relative to the yarn ofthe package P, when the mandrel 95 is entirely withdrawn. Uponcompletion of withdrawal of the mandrel 95 from the package P, the forceof the centering springs 101 and 112, if provided in the sidewalls ofthe apparatus at the core replacing station, returns the package P to acentered position in the pocket of the rotatable member '60. Thereafter,the package .P is advanced to the lower chute 51 by further rotation ofthe rotatable member 60.

In the immediately preceding discussion of the manner in which areplacement core R is shielded within the mandrel 95 during insertion ofthe core into a package, and is stripped therefrom on withdrawal of themandrel from the package, it is apparent that the tendency of a woundpackage of yarn to exert a radially inward force on a supporting coreboth contributes to the problems of inserting a longitudinallycompressible core and contributes to operation of the present subjectimprovement. Packages exerting such a gripping force, herein referred toas radially compressive packages, may vary in types and incharacteristics due to the elasticity of the yarn in the package, thetension applied to the yarn during winding, the pattern of winding ofthe yarnand still other factors. In any event, the present inventioncontemplates that the means for locating the replacement core within thehollow mandrel, such as the abutment member 103, accommodates the lengthof the exposed end portion of the replacement core to thecharacteristics of the package in such a manner as to assure centeringof the replacement core within the package. That is, the exposed lengthof the replacement core is correlated to the force with which the coreis gripped by the package upon commencement of withdrawal of the mandrelfrom the package and to the snugness with which the core is retainedwithin the mandrel. While this exposure may vary, an exposure of onehalfto one inch has been found satisfactory in an operating embodiment ofthis improvement and this range should serve as at least a startingpoint for any necessary experimentation.

Yet another relationship between the radially compressive packages andthe mandrel involves the relative external diameters of the mandrel andthe core being replaced. Within the practical limits of force requiredto cause penetration of the mandrel into a package and possible damageto yarn in the package, it is contemplated that the external diameter ofthe mandrel may be greater than that of the core. Preferably, in orderto minimize the possibility of yarn damage, the mandrel externaldiameter is no greater than that of the core but is substantially thesame.

While particular relationships exist between radially compressivepackages and the apparatus of the present invention, as discussed above,it is additionally contemplated that the apparatus of this invention becapable of replacing the core of a package in which the yarn is woundunder such tensions as to substantially avoid radially compressive forcein the finished package. Such packages are referred to herein asnon-compressive packages, in contrast to the radially compressivepackages discussed above. If anything, it is even more important that areplacement core be positioned in a predetermined relation to anon-compressive pacskage and maintained in that relation on commencementof withdrawal of the leading end of the mandrel through the package,than is the case in replacing the core of a non-compressive package witha longitudinally compressible core R as discussed above, althoughrelative movement between a package and a replacement core must beavoided in both instances. While the gripping of the replacement core Rby the yarn of a compressive package may be employed to at least alimited extent in order to assure that there is substantially norelative movement between replacement core R and the package uponcommencement of withdrawal of the mandrel, it is preferred thatadditional means be provided in order to assure that the replacementcore R is always properly stripped from within the protective shieldprovided by the mandrel 95.

In order to assure that removal of the replacement core R from withinthe mandrel 95 proceeds in the desired manner, this invention furtherincludes means for temporarily blocking withdrawal of the replacementcore R from within the package upon commencement of withdrawal of theleading end of the mandrel 95. In the illustrated embodiment, this meanstakes the form of an annular member of resilient material havingradially inwardly directed portions and referred to herein as a flower104. The flower 104, which may be fabricated from a thin sheet ofplastic material having a natural flexibility and resilience, preferablyincludes at least a pair of opposed radially inwardly directed petalportions, 104a and 10411. The mandrel 95 includes a pair of openingstherein adjacent the spacing member 103 which supports the concealed endof the replacement core R for receiving the petal members 104a and 1041)therewithin. As best illustrated by the sequence of use in the FIGS. 3to 6, the petal portions of the flower 104 are bent forwardly toward thepackage P upon insertion of the mandrel 95, until such time that themandrel 95 has penetrated fully through the package P. At that position(FIG. 5), the petal portions 104a and 104]) of the flower snap into theopenings provided by the mandrel 95. Inasmuch as the flower 104 ismounted upon and movable with the side plate 105, the effect of thepetal portions 104a and 10412 snapping into the openings provided in themandrel 95 is to provide a temporary abutment means for the concealedend 7 of the replacement core R, preventing withdrawal of that end ofthe replacement core R relative to the side plate 105. Thus, uponcommencement of withdrawal of the mandrel 95, the petal portions 104aand *4b engage the end of the replacement core R and maintain thereplacement core R in its predetermined position relative to the sideplate 105 and to the package P. Thereafter, as withdrawal of the mandrel95 continues, the petal portions 104a and 10412 of the flower arewithdrawn from the openings in the mandre1'95, having served theirfunction during the commencement withdrawal of the mandrel. Due to theflexibility and resilience of the material chosen for forming the flower104, the petal portions 104a and 10% may make the necessary turns toaccommodate the insertion and withdrawal of the mandrel 95 (as shown bya comparison of FIGS. 3 and 6).

In order to assure a continuing supply of replacement cores R for theoperation of the apparatus, the illustrated apparatus provides means forreceiving and storing a plurality of the replacement cores. Areplacement core trough 120 adjacent the core replacement station issized to receive a plurality of such cores R in a predetermined commonorientation, and to feed such replacement cores R to a dispensingposition in alignment with the mandrel 95 when the same is in theWithdrawn position (FIGS. 1 and 2). In order to assure that the nextsucceeding replacement core is not engaged by the rearward extremity ofthe mandrel 95 as the mandrel is retracted from the core replacementstation, gate control means are preferably provided and controlled incoordination to the sequential operation of the other instrumentalitiesof the apparatus substantially as shown and described in detail in theaforementioned copending application SEMI-AUTOMATIC APPARATUS It isfurther contemplated by the present invention that a longitudinallycompressible replacement core may be substituted for a supporting corein a package of yarn through the use of an apparatus which is notsequentially actuated as described immediately above. More particularly,insertion of longitudinally compressible replacement cores ascontemplated by this invention may be accomplished by an apparatuscomprising an elongate hollow mandrel and an alignment membersubstantially similar to those discussed above, package supporting meansfor receiving and supporting a package against forces arising duringpenetration of the package by the mandrel, and means for causingrelative movement between the mandrel and sleeve and a package supportedon the package supporting means so that a winding core is pushed fromthe package as a replacement core is inserted thereinto. Such anapparatus, as illustrated in FIG. 8, may employ a double-acting pressurefluid cylinder 200 having a mandrel member 210* mounted on the pistonrod 201 thereof and positioned relative to a package supporting table.220 so that, upon application of pressure fluid to the cylinder 200under the control of an appropriate valve 202, the mandrel member 210 ismoved relative to the package supporting table 220 and penetrates apackage P supported on the table 220. In similarity to the sequentiallyactuated apparatus discussed above, means are provided for engaging awinding core W and a replacement core R at least partially enclosed bythe mandrel 210 to push the winding core W from the package and thereplacement core R into the package as the mandrel is displaced from aposition remote from the package to a position penetrating the packageand the mandrel shields the replacement core R from engagement by thepackage during insertion of the replacement core thereinto. The mandrel210 is formed with dimensions related to those of the package and 7cores in the manner described above with reference to the mandrel and analignment member 211 is supported therewithin for facilitatingpenetration of the mandrel into a package. An abutment member 214 for 8engaging a trailing end of a replacement core received between thealignment member and the mandrel is disposed within the annular volumedefined therebetween. The correlation between the length of the annularvolume adapted to receive a replacement core Rand the free length of thereplacement core is substantially the same biased into a position raisedabove the height of a package P by a plurality of compression springs218. Mounted upon the upper surface of the stripper plate 215 is aflower 219, similar to the flower 104 discussed above with reference tothe sequentially operated apparatus. The mandrel 210 is provided withopenings for receiving the petal portions 219a and 21% of the flower(FIGS. 9 and 14).

In the use of a mandrel as described immediately above, it has beennoted that winding cores may be expelled from packages, and replacementcores inserted thereinto, even though the mandrel is employed in a handoperation and reliance is not placed upon the use of a fluid pressurecylinder such as cylinder 200 to provide the relative movement betweenthe mandrel and a package, When such a hand operation is used, it hasfurther been found that it is not necessary to provide a packagesupporting means such as the table 220 against which the package iscompressed during the expulsion and insertion of a replacement core.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for replacing the core of a radially compressive,core-supported wound yarn package which includes means for supportingsuch a package against forces arising during insertion of a replacementcore thereinto, and core replacing means operatively associated withsaid supporting means for engaging'a package supported thereby, forexpelling a supporting core therefrom, and for inserting alongitudinally compressible replacement core thereinto, the improvementcomprising:

an elongate hollow mandrel adapted to penetrate entirely through apackage and having an effective external diameter substantially equal tothat of a package supporting core which is to be replaced and aneffective internal diameter greater than the eX-- ternal diameter of areplacement core to be inserted,

the leading end of said mandrel being open'and, being adapted topenetrate through a package, and means operatively associated with saidhollow mandrel.

for locating a replacement core therewithin one end of such core exposedoutside said leading end of said mandrel and the package uponpenetration of said leading end entirely through the package, so thatthereplacement core is positioned in a predetermined relation to thepackage and maintained in that relation upon commencement of withdrawalof said leading end through the package.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mandrel an elongate alignmentmember supported within said mandrel and substantially coaxiallytherewith and extending outwardly thereof beyond said leading end ofsaid mandrel for entering into a package supporting core and assuringproper engagement between such core and said mandrel.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said alignment member is aright-circular cylindrical member having an external diameter which isno greater than the smaller of the internal diameters of said packageand replacement cores.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for locating areplacement core Within said mandrel compries an abutment membersupported within said mandrel for engagement by a replacement corereceived there- Within and spaced from said leading end a distance lessthan the normal free length of a replacement core so as to determine thelength of said end portion of a replacement core exposed for grippingengagement by a package.

7. Means for replacing the core of a radially compressive,core-supported wound yarn package and for inserting a longitudinallycompressible replacement core thereinto comprising:

an elongate hollow mandrel adapted to penetrate entirely through apackage and having an external diameter substantially equal to that of apackage supporting core which is to be replaced and an internal diametergreater than the external diameter of a replacement core to be inserted,the leading end of said mandrel being open and being adapted topenetrate through a package, and

means operatively associated with said hollow mandrel for locating areplacement core therewithin with one end of such core exposed outsidesaid leading end of said mandrel and the package upon penetration ofsaid leading end entirely through the package, so that the replacementcore is positioned in a predetermined relation to the package andmaintained in that relation upon commencement of withdrawal of saidleading end through the package.

8. A means according to claim 7 wherein said mandrel is a thin wall,right-circular cylindrical tubular member.

9. A means according to claim 8 wherein said leading end lies in a planesubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said mandrel.

10. A means according to claim 9 and further comprising an elongatealignment member supported within said mandrel and substantiallycoaxially therewith and extending outwardly thereof beyond said leadingend of said mandrel for entering into a package supporting core andassuring proper engagement between such core and said mandrel.

11. A means according to claim 10 wherein said alignment member is aright-circular cylindrical member having an external diameter which isno greater than the smaller of the internal diameters of said packageand re placement cores. 1

12. A means according to claim 11 wherein said means for locating areplacement core within said mandrel comprises an abutment membersupported within said mandrel for engagement by a replacement corereceived therewithin and spaced from said leading end a distance lessthan the normal free length of a replacement core so as to determine thelength of said end portion of a replacement core exposed for grippingengagement by a package.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/ 1942 Snsen 6/ 1953 Davis 2/1956 Harvey 29234X 4/ 1967 Tigges 29234 3/1968 Tigges 29-234X I. C.PETERS, Assistant Examiner

